Gaming - Page 1048

Sony has set a strict requirement that all PlayStation Neo games run at a minimum resolution of native 1080p.

Sony's new PlayStation Neo (PS4.5/PS4K) will ensure native rendering resolution of 1920 x 1080 is the new standard for its games library--no more 900p upscaled to 1080p tricks. This new native standard is to allow smooth 1080p to 4K resolution upscaling, which is made possible by the console's new hardware. The PS4 Neo is powered by an APU built with what appears to be a Polaris 10 Ellesmere GPU derivative clocked at 911MHz, combined with a 2.1GHz 8-core Jaguar CPU, and rounded off by 8GB GDDR5 RAM at 218 GB/s.

Giant Bomb dropped the new details, citing leaked internal documents as their source. "It seems like [Sony] won't allow a display buffer lower than 1080 in Neo Mode, so these cases of games under 1080 getting scaled up, seems like that will only be a Base Mode thing," the publication said in its latest podcast.

Fallout 4's first-ever Creation Kit mod is now available for download, featuring two new quests, enemies, weapons, and a bunch of other custom content.

The mod is called Ransacked Relays and Shuddersome Subways, and is made by the infamous modder trainwiz, and shows off the versatility of the Fallout 4 Creation Kit with a few quick quests and fully-customized interiors.

All in all the mod is pretty quick, but it's a nice taste of what to expect when Creation Kit mods hit later this month. If you download the mod check our quick walkthrough below to help you get up and running.

Though the PlayStation 4 is nearly half through it's life, Sony isn't quite done with supporting the PS3 just yet and have issued another update to the aging console for those the no doubt sizable amount of people who still own and play it. Update 4.80 is available either through as a manually installed .pup file or via auto-update.

The update is more of a stability update than anything else, with not mention of any included features or specific fixes that it might address. The last update, firmware 4.76 which was released in January of 2016, was also more of a general stability update with the only other mentioned feature being the discontinuation of support for Facebook integration.

There are still a surprising amount of PS3's in the wild that are actually being used. They are still a viable platform for consuming media and even for playing games. The back catalog of great games is rather large and the ability to play more PSOne classics or PS2-era games via backward compatibility is much appreciated, though that's coming to the PS4 slowly but surely. It is, however, nice to see Sony take the time to address any latent issues in the older console because it likely still sells for them now that they're profitable to manufacture for them. The PlayStation 2 lived on well after the PS3 was released in the guise of a smaller device, which sold well in Japan and in the west. It's a natural move, there are plenty of great games to still play on the PS3 even. Sony reported the last hardware shipment numbers for the fourth quarter of 2011, which totaled 1.9 million units.

It's official--the Xbox 360 is done. Microsoft will no longer manufacture new Xbox 360 consoles, so existing inventory is all we have left.

Microsoft today announced that it will be discontinuing the Xbox 360 console, choosing the tenth anniversary to reveal the upsetting news. Microsoft really does have a weird way of celebrating a whole decade of gaming, don't they?

"Xbox 360 means a lot to everyone in Microsoft. And while we've had an amazing run, the realities of manufacturing a product over a decade old are starting to creep up on us. Which is why we have made the decision to stop manufacturing new Xbox 360 consoles. We will continue to sell existing inventory of Xbox 360 consoles, with availability varying by country."

The console generation cycle is changing. The days of a new console every 5-7 years are long gone. Now we have iterative mid-cycle upgrades built on existing hardware, with consoles evolving more rapidly and dramatically than they ever have before. According to Oddworld developer Lorne Lanning, this new cycle is a necessity if Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo want to stay competitive.

Sony's new upgraded PlayStation 4.5 console is proof that the console market is changing. To stay relevant and keep up the constantly shifting world of tech, Sony and Microsoft have to adapt. Sony's doing this with the PS4.5, and Microsoft is also experimenting with new Xbox hardware. As such, Oddworld developer Lorne Lanning says that Sony's plan makes sense and that consoles will need to change to stay competitive against other gaming platforms like mobile phones.

"I asked Shu[hei Yoshida] a question...I asked him 'so what's the PS5 look like?' And he said 'you mean IF.' And I was like whoa...He said 'Yeah, it's an if.' He didn't give me a clear answer, but he's hinting at '[Sony] needs to be more agile, and none of us knows what the future holds. So how do we adapt to that fast?' I think that's the right way to think about it. And the idea that you're going to release a piece of technology that lasts for seven years into the future...I think that's less and less viable. Even though generations of platforms seem to last longer, the problem is that, eventually, is that mobiles are going to get more powerful than consoles..."

Sony is apparently adamant about upgrading their current console, infusing it with more raw power to tap into so to have better looking games at potentially higher resolutions. But isn't that the same thing as simply creating a new console? One would think, but Sony isn't sure that there ever will be a true PlayStation 5 at all.

Back in February of 2015 it seems that a Lorne Lanning, a veteran in the gaming industry, was able to talk to the president of PlayStation, Shuhei Yoshida, at a private dinner following DICE 2015. The question was raised, rightfully, what a PlayStation 5 might just look like. Yoshida countered with an "if", meaning that such an idea was transitory at best. That answer could also have been technically specific, meaning that they were already working on the PS4.5, or Neo, at the time and that in the short-term there were no certainties regarding a specific generational increase.

Just as Microsoft's approach has changed to be more agile and flexible, so too has Sony realized that with PC hardware evolving at the rate it does, they also do to keep up and ensure playability and interest is maintained. Resolution is unfortunately a topic of great interest to gamers and a source of greater consternation, as of late. It does have an effect on how we experience playing, though perhaps not as great as some would have you believe. But if the two big console makers can't compete in terms of resolution, or in performance at those resolutions, then it could potentially lower their market share. More power also means access to other ways to experience gaming, such as AR, and VR as well as being able to have better looking games at more modest resolutions that play faster.

Microsoft is a very unique position to sweep in and topple Sony's mighty PlayStation empire--but it'll take lots of careful planning.

Remember back at E3 2013 when Don Mattrick revealed the always-online Xbox One with its non-shareable games? That event nearly demolished the Xbox brand altogether, and it's taken three years for the company to put the pieces back together. Sony won this current generation simply by doing the complete opposite of Microsoft and listening to its consumer base. Now the roles have been reversed--Sony's new PlayStation 4.5 is the company's pre-E3 2013 Xbox One, and Microsoft has found itself in a very advantageous position to steal this generation.

Microsoft has a singular advantage over Sony: the new Windows 10 Dev Mode. This new tool allows devs to make a single game that's playable on both PC and Xbox, alleviating the need for multiple ports. Sony's PlayStation 4.5, on the other hand, is a nightmare for devs because they now have to make two PS4 ports of every game, meaning multi-plat will need four ports (PS4, PS4.5, Xbox One, and PC). Every PS4 game released after October needs to have two versions--a PS4 and a PS4.5 flavor that supports 4K upscaling. As a result of this news, the new PS4.5 is pissing off lots of devs, and BioWare's co-founder even went so far as to say its a "gigantic pain in the ass".

As Sony's new PlayStation 4.5 sports hardware upgrades to upscale 1080p games to 4K, gamers are pretty excited about the new console. Finally, we'll be able to hit native 1080p 60FPS in every game, along with light 4K gaming. Developers, on the other hand, aren't too happy about all the extra work they'll have to do.

In today's age of gaming, developers typically have to port games across three systems: PS4, Xbox One, and PC. With Sony's PlayStation 4.5 on the way, that number has been bumped by one. Reports say that all PS4 games made after October must have two versions: a PS4 version, and a new PS4.5 flavor. The new PS4.5 version also has to match the FPS of the base port. Even though the PS4.5 will likely be built on the same basic x86 architecture as the PS4, developers will still have to make tons of adjustments to add in 4K upscaling, on top of getting used to the new hardware.

"A trusted source tells me most developers are not happy with PS4.5, and having to develop around it. Extra cost, planning, other nonsense," says ex-IGN editor and KindaFunnyGames co-founder Colin Moriarty. Since Colin has tons of contacts in the industry, this is probably true. BioWare co-founder Greg Zeschuk mirrors the sentiment, saying that the PS4.5 will be a "gigantic pain in the ass" for developers.

Since Sony is working on a new PlayStation 4.5 model that features upgraded CPU, GPU and RAM, Microsoft has to counter with their own Xbox refresh in order to stay relevant. Now the word is that Microsoft has been testing various new Xbox prototypes, all of which are outfitted with boosted hardware that overshadow the beleaguered Xbox One.

According to reports published by The Verge, the new mid-cycle Xbox prototypes mirror the kind of hardware you'd find a gaming PC. "Sources familiar with Microsoft's Xbox plans have revealed to The Verge that the company has been testing a variety of prototype Xbox devices. Some of the prototypes have been tested with upgraded components you'd use to improve the performance of a PC gaming rig."

Recent FCC filings confirmed the new Xbox by revealing the console's wireless chip, and Brazilian communications board Anatel even showed the new chip. Furthermore, we've had reports that the new mid-cycle Xbox will be called Xbox NeXt.

Mirror's Edge Catalyst is coming soon, and the Faith driven shooter, powered by DICE's latest Frostbite, is going to be a graphical powerhouse on the PC. At least potentially. The PC requirements are now out and it looks like the recommended requirements, for a 1080P 60FPS experience, aren't terribly steep.

For the minimum level of enjoyment, DICE and EA seem to recommend a modest Ivy Bridge-based i3 or a six core/three module AMD FX processor paired with either an NVIDIA GTX 650 or an AMD Radeon R9 270X. Those cards are not the most expensive on the market, and with the right combination of settings, Catalyst should run just fine. The Frostbite engine is a very versatile one, capable of scaling up and down while still looking quite good. It's also very well optimized in the majority of games it's been employed in, with good multi-GPU support.

The beta for Mirror's Edge Catalyst begins on the 22nd of April and goes through the 26th. They had such a large response to the prospect of playing the beta that they actually stopped accepting any new applications after a mere 45-minutes after they opened up registration. The game will make use of the classic mechanics from the first, letting you run around the city of Glass completing missions in an open-world setting while free-running to get to where you're going. This time, it should be an even more open and fluid experience. The full PC specification recommendations are after the break.

Mark your calendar folks, because on April 22nd Max Payne will be coming to the PlayStation 4, and will probably be just as vengeful as ever. The European PlayStation Blog revealed the date of the next classic game that'll make it the PS4 with their version of backward compatibility.

This will be the 22nd such game to be brought back to life, specifically from the era of the PlayStation 2, which has a great deal of classic, hit games. Sony has recognized the value in bringing back older titles to the platform quite some time ago when they started offering PSOne and PS2 classics via the PlayStation Network for the PlayStation 3 and Vita. They soon became popular items in the store, prompting them to continue, and evolve development to the newest platform.

Max Payne was originally released all the way back in 2001 for the PS2, the original Xbox and the PC. It was a smashing hit with its introduction of Bullet Time, a mechanism for slowing down time so you could more easily target the plethora of enemies that no doubt ambushed you often. April 22nd is the date that's available, though that might be exclusive to the EU PSN store, we'll update as we know more. The full list of PS2 games playable on the PS4 is just after the break.

John Romero has long been rumored to be working on a new game, but there's been precious little info available to actually go on aside from his confirmations. HOXAR might just be the name of that mysterious new game, if the info is sound.

That website is for a fictional company supposedly set in his new game world. The company develops immersive holodeck like experiences without the use of any sort of headset. Presumably, this is set up as a marketing stunt to help introduce us to the new, thriving world. It lends a bit of realism to the characters and is something that Romero and crew have done with past games, specifically the UAC website for Doom 3.

Unfortunately, this still doesn't give away much aside from what we might see as a start to the story of the game. It's safe to say that this technology will have some impact inside the new FPS, which it's likely to be considering that's the primary genre that he's responsible for creating. Mum has been the word up until now, but since the cat is crawling out of the bag, maybe he'll be kind enough to release a few details soon.

Umbrella Corps is reaching deep into the history of Resident Evil for a new map that Capcom is showing off. The Antarctic facility that you see below is a base that was originally featured in Resident Evil Code: Veronica from 2000. They're bringing it back and infesting it with zombies.

The original was apparently nearly destroyed in Code: Veronica and it remains in its heavily destroyed state in Umbrella Corps. That means that there are three desolate levels that bring a surprising amount of verticality into play. Those three floors are littered with all kinds of detritus that can be used tactically to help defend against yet another outbreak. In fact, I can imagine a sick game of hide and seek being played through the level Perhaps the most tactical map in the game, players can utilize cover points, interwoven ventilation ducts, and ladders to make for a very interesting and dynamic time.

The whole thing is rendered quite nicely and is a good reflection of the older map, even though it's been literally ages since we've last played through it. You can check out some more screenshots of it after the break.

Did you know that World of Warcraft is still a thing and that Blizzard are working on a new expansion pack for the game? Yeah, they are.

Blizzard has announced World of Warcraft: Legion for August 30, which will see the level cap raised to 110. Legion will also introduce a new continent, a new class (Demon Hunter), powerful new Artifact Weapons, and a brand new PvP Honor system. The key features include:

Sony's new PlayStation 4 console, also known as PS4K or PS4.5, is codenamed NEO, and will feature beefier internal components with upgraded CPU, GPU, and RAM. The new PS4 will support 4K image output and upscale 1080p games to 4K UHD.

According to Giant Bomb's Austin Walker, Sony's new PlayStation 4 won't be a dramatic upgrade over the current version, and certainly not the crazy native 4K UHD console we had hoped for. The new system, codenamed NEO, is built around the existing structure with 8 Jaguar CPU Cores at 2.1 GHz, and improved AMD GCN GPU with 36 Control Units clocked at 911MHz.

The NEO's GPU specs seem to match the specs of AMD's next-generation Polaris10 Ellesmere chip found in the upcoming Radeon R9 480, so we could see the new PS4 powered by Polaris after all. If so, we'd undoubtedly hit 1080p 60FPS in all games along with native PlayStation VR support.

Sony's PlayStation 4 technically already supports 4K video playback, so what if the new fancy PS4K or PS4.5 is just a default PS4 with a 4K Blu-ray player thrown in?

Back in 2013 before the PS4 released, Sony exec Shuhei Yoshida confirmed that the console would indeed support 4K video playback and pictures on launch. "The official answer is that the PS4 supports 4K output but for personal contents, like photos or videos. Not games. PS4 games do not work on 4K." This means the PS4 can already technically play 4K Blu-rays, but the console still has limitations.

The current PlayStation 4 model might support 4K video playback, but it doesn't have a 4K Blu-ray player installed. Plus, it only has HDMI 1.4, which limits 3840 × 2160 at just 24 FPS. The PlayStation 4 was released before Sony had established the UHD Blu-ray spec, so that's one of the reasons the console didn't ship with a 4K player installed.

Rebellion has wasted absolutely no time in getting their remastered version of Battlezone 98 released. It's out now on Steam with a 20% discount for all the early adopters. Thus far, with 5 reviews, the new version has outstanding reviews as it manages to retain the charm and appeal of the original FPS/RTS hybrid.

Rebellion announced in February that they were also working on more than just the original Atari Battlezone. They have the rights to the whole franchise and have been systematically upgrading the visuals and making the original PC game playable again.

For this version, they concentrated on leaving the basic mechanics intact and just giving it a much-needed overhaul so that it fits in with other games of the genre currently out. The art style and unique hybrid control mechanics are all there, with much better graphics. It's worth a look if you enjoyed the original and even if you're looking for something new. The unique way that it blended base-building and the action still hasn't quite been emulated even today.

Another great indie game on Steam has just joined the growing catalog of those that are becoming available for Linux. Vector 36, a futuristic physics-based racing game, is now available on Linux and specifically on SteamOS, and they're encouraging everyone to give it a proper try.

Vector 36's developer responded to some of the feedback from their fans nad have finally added in this support. Of course, this is the first iteration on SteamOS and as such will be a bit less stable than desired. Bugs and glitches are inevitable, but they're an active developer and try to fix everything found while also continuing to perfect their game so they can officially launch it. If you have it, give it a whirl and see how it does, it should play just as fast as the Windows counterpart.

SteamOS is seeing a surprising amount of support even if it isn't quite as overt as we're used to. Thus far, Vector 36 joins some 1700 other games that are able to run on Linux that are available on the Steam storefront. Vector 36 is also an example of an indie developer, a very small studio, that's rising to the challenge and taking advantage of all the future technologies that they can. It might be slow going, but the results thus far have been steady and still quite fun. The game right now features leaderboards so you can properly compete and a slew of different ways to modify your own racing stallion. Flying across the wasteland that is Mars, with it's lower gravity, in a jet powered skiff is quite fun. The controls take some getting use to, but overall it's a joy to play.

Die-hard Souls fans will have to wait until autumn rolls around to play the first Dark Souls 3 DLC.

Although Bandai Namco is all too eager to sell Dark Souls 3 Season Passes at $24.99 a pop, gamers will have to wait as long as September before they can play the first Dark Souls 3 DLC. Since the second pack obviously comes after the first, we may not get the full Dark Souls 3 package until holiday 2016.

The publisher confirmed Dark Souls 3's DLC release schedule with Videogamer.com. Namco Bandai has yet to officially announce DLC details, but affirms that the two new packs will come with "new maps, bosses, enemies and additional weapon and armor sets."

Titanfall 2 will release sometime this year, according to listings found on GAME UK's storefront.

Last week EA dropped a Titanfall 2 bombshell with a new teaser trailer that confirmed a PS4 and PC launch. While the publisher plans to announce a release date on June 12 at E3, it looks like UK games retailer GAME spilled the beans early.

The British retailer lists Titanfall 2 as "TBC 2016", hinting that Respawn's sequel will release sometime this year. These dates are always placeholders, but more often than not its the months that are placeholders, not the years.